Not parent, but I have three kids and started out with thoughts like you.
The truth is closer to the opposite direction. Parent,partner, neighbor nagging is the same as getting to the gym. You really didn't want to bother with it, but after you worked out it's the best decision you could have ever made.
I have had a number of great professional breakthroughs and nothing comes close to the sense of accomplishment of raising children.
I think the closest you get to tapping into those emotions outside of children is hearing that your father is dying. Picture that and ask yourself would you prefer $20k a year and a decade of Saturdays off as a trade?
You probably nailed the head right there. I have a biological dad and a step dad. One was actively abusive and the other one was negligent. And maybe I'm a little less compassionate or empathetic than I'd like to be. But that, and whatever hand waving you can imagine, adds up to me not really caring if they die or not. Yup, no kids for me.
The truth is closer to the opposite direction. Parent,partner, neighbor nagging is the same as getting to the gym. You really didn't want to bother with it, but after you worked out it's the best decision you could have ever made.
I have had a number of great professional breakthroughs and nothing comes close to the sense of accomplishment of raising children.
I think the closest you get to tapping into those emotions outside of children is hearing that your father is dying. Picture that and ask yourself would you prefer $20k a year and a decade of Saturdays off as a trade?